


Oil and Water

by armouredescort



Series: Variations on Asexuality [1]
Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Asexual!Kaoru, Asexuality, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, M/M, MatchaBlossom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 12:27:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30055458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/armouredescort/pseuds/armouredescort
Summary: Kaoru is asexual. This isn’t a problem for Kojiro.But they may need to make their relationship public.
Relationships: Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom
Series: Variations on Asexuality [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/98192
Comments: 4
Kudos: 91





	Oil and Water

“No.”

Kaoru sounded calm, firm, and put his hand over Kojiro’s, which rested on the obi of Kaoru’s yukata.

“No to this right now or no every time?” asked Kojiro, shifting his hand upwards to rest on Kaoru’s shoulder.

A twist of tension appeared in Kaoru’s brow, a flick of his eyes downwards to stare at the floor in a rare moment of uncertainty. It was unsettling – usually those piercing golden eyes would never lose focus, especially not when Kojiro demanded their attention.

“No. Every time. I don’t want that. I know you have–“ and Kaoru sucked in a breath,”–sexual needs. But we can’t do this if you want those needs fulfilled by me.”

When Kaoru looked back up, he seemed so uncertain of what Kojiro would say. They both knew that Kojiro had a voracious sex drive, and that he loved to flirt. However this was different.

“Like, if this is a erectile dysfunction or something, that, uh, we can go to a doctor or something,” said Kojiro, hesitantly bringing his other hand to cup Kaoru’s face.

“No, you–! I don’t have–Kojiro, I’m asexual,” said Kaoru.

The word seemed to hang between them, suspended like a glass ornament on a gossamer thread. Kojiro had heard the term before but hadn’t really investigated it all that much. It wasn’t necessarily foreign, since he was bisexual and had spent more than his fair share in the local underground queer nightclubs, just not something he had experienced from someone he knew.

Or so he had assumed.

“This is the one where you’re not sexually attracted to people, yeah?”

“Yes,” said Kaoru. “Aromanticism is no romantic attraction. Yet against my better judgement, I am. Romantically attracted to you, that is.”

He hadn’t moved from where Kojiro had put his hand under his cheek, savouring the warmth of calloused fingers and palms, taking in the scent of garlic and herbs and spices that hadn’t quite washed out from the chef’s skin. When Kojiro chuckled and wrapped himself closer to Kaoru, Kaoru’s breath stuttered as they pressed together. 

This wasn’t an accident. The fingers sliding down Kaoru’s neck wasn’t an accident, curling into the soft, downy hair at his nape. Kojiro’s look of quiet adoration, like this was the first time he was seeing Kaoru in years when they saw each other daily wasn’t an accident.

“Well it’s a good thing I like romance,” said Kojiro.

Kaoru laughed, “I knew that was true when I caught you watching Pride and Prejudice and sighing at Mr Darcy.”

“That was for English class!”

“You didn’t even take advanced English.”

“You did,” Kojiro pointed out.

“So you’re saying you watched it because of me?” said Kaoru, tilting his head with a smirk.

He leant into the fingers at his neck, enjoying the comfort they gave.

“For the record, I watched it for Elizabeth Bennett _and_ Mr Darcy,” huffed Kojiro. “Definitely not for you.”

“Which is why you also watched North and South? And Emma, and The Parad–“

“Okay, okay, I yield! I watched those for romance, hot people, because you wanted someone to practice English with, and maybe because I liked hanging out without having to be on a skateboard,” said Kojiro.

Kaoru’s face went serious again.

“You liked me all of these years,” said Kaoru. “And you like me still.”

It didn’t take much for Kojiro to pull Kaoru into a hug, cradling him against his chest.

“Of course I do.”

“Even though I’m asexual.”

“You think that’s going to change things? I love you, Kaoru, and not getting sex won’t change that.”

Kojiro felt a shudder run through Kaoru. Then a strangled sob. Kaoru pressed his face against Kojiro, tucking himself into the crook of his sun-kissed neck.

“You really mean that, you big dummy,” mumbled Kaoru.

There was a line of pain in that voice. Like this wasn’t what Kaoru had expected. Or maybe unwanted memories were rising to the surface, like pockets of oil being released from under the water to burst and ooze, slicking everything they touched.

Heart gripped by emotion, Kojiro pressed his lips to Kaoru’s forehead, kissing it once before realising he had hot, fat tears rolling down his face to land in Kaoru’s hair.

“Who the hell hurt you?” said Kojiro, although the effect was muted by the fact he was crying too.

“Too many people for you to punch,” said Kaoru.

“Damn,” said Kojiro. “So what can I do?”

“Keep holding me.”

“Okay,” said Kojiro, and he kept Kaoru close, taking in that this stunning man didn’t want to be anywhere else in that moment.

***

They still sniped and squabbled and fought in public. They brawled and kicked and postured like cats sizing each other up. But it had no bite.

“Lord Cherry!” cried a fangirl at Crazy Rock.

Cherry turned and barely had time to duck a bra being flung at him. Instead it sailed over Cherry’s head and landed on Joe’s head.

“Keep your fans controlled!” snarked Joe.

He took it off, examining the bra momentarily before tossing it back into the crowd.

“Says the man who had to usher his from the start line yesterday because they were crowding the track,” snapped Cherry.

Joe smirked.

“Jealous?”

“There’s only one woman who’ll ever satisfy me and you know it’s Carla.”

“Almost sounds like you haven’t had much experience,” said Joe.

He regretted the words the moment they left his lips. Kaoru shone through in that moment, a flicker of alarm in his eyes, and then it was Cherry again.

“Sounds like you want a beef,” said Cherry.

“Let’s ride.”

***

They took it as a challenge.

After being showered in cherry flavoured XXXL condoms after a successful beef against Shadow, Cherry stormed off, only to have a panic attack in a secluded corner. That sickening, oily feeling was coating his throat, his face, his hands, his lungs, he felt so incomplete and broken, and the voices of the past rang clear in his head.

“Carla, a meditation. Please,” he said, choking out the command.

“Yes, master,” replied Carla, and she started taking him through a breathing exercise.

Joe found them several hours later as the sun was beginning to rise, and Cherry’s eyes were red rimmed and tired.

“I’ve had the person responsible banned,” said Joe.

“Thank you,” said Cherry, voice scratchy.

***

They had been together for a few months when Kaoru turned up at Kojiro’s apartment with his calligraphy brush case under his arm, and a carry basket under the other.

“I want to try something,” said Kaoru, without preamble.

He stepped inside and toed off his shoes. Kojiro closed the door, waiting for Kaoru to put on a pair of house slippers before he said, “Well hello to you too.”

Kaoru nudged Kojiro with an elbow so Kojiro would lean slightly for a kiss on the cheek

“Don’t you want to know what it is?”

“If it’s a duel for the best handwriting, then I think we both know who is going to win,” said Kojiro.

Shaking his head, Kaoru took off towards the bedroom, putting his basket and carry case down on the bed before throwing open the curtains to let the sunshine in.

“No, it’s an idea,” said Kaoru. “I need you to take your shirt off.”


End file.
